The Future of Entrepreneurial Education

University of Utah, Lassonde Studios, Salt Lake City, Utah

The University of Utah is set to redefine entrepreneurial education with the creation of Lassonde Studios. This innovative building will house more than 400 unique student residences and 20,000 sf of “garage” space where any student on campus can build a prototype, attend an event or launch a company. The space offers 3D printers and room to build prototypes on a 24/7 basis. It will be the place where students live, create and launch companies.

A collaborative process between the design team, university leadership, student housing, business school representatives and members of the Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute led to extensive design experimentation and the eventual creation of this new type of learning building. Flexible spaces like the startup “garage” space allow the building to be as nimble as a startup with a flexible grid system allowing the university to reconfigure rooms and expand the garage as student needs change.

Our goal is five years after it opens, that it’ll be an entirely different-looking building. Universities usually build something that lasts 50 to 100 years, but when you’re an entrepreneur, things change rapidly.